This new mint was developed in a mint breeding program in which the primary objective was to develop a new peppermint variety having a specific oil composition, acceptable yield and resistant to mint diseases. The new variety is as resistant to mint wilt (soil borne fungus Verticillium dahliae) as its parent, but more resistant to mint rust (air-borne fungus Puccinia menthae). Selection 11-A35-3 has a higher yield of oil than the control variety, ‘Black Mitcham’, in test plots since 2011. This plant was selected from a population of mint seedlings in research plots on land near Monmouth, Oreg. and initially identified as 11-A35-3.
Selection 11-A35-3 originated as a seedling from an open pollinated M. arvensis female parent [09(Blanco×OP)]X OP included with male fertile M. piperita (polyploid ‘Black Mitcham’) plants in a polycross breeding program. Diploid M. piperita (‘Black Mitcham’) is sterile and only becomes fertile in the polyploidy state. The parent plants in the polycross breeding system were composed of selected fertile male and female genotypes based on certain desirable characteristics.